Mothers’ weight linked to child health

Women who gain too much weight in pregnancy run the risk of giving their offspring health problems in later life, researchers have found.

Experts discovered that the likelihood of developing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, or type 2 diabetes during adulthood, was greater in people born to mothers who were overweight during their late pregnancy.

Pregnant women should ensure they lead a healthy lifestyle, with even the period just before birth being “fundamental” to giving their children the best chance, they concluded.